Mickael demonstrated his interest in art and furniture-making from a very young age, at six he was cutting his first wooden pieces with hand tools for scale models.

In 1995, his parents encouraged him to pursue his artistic talents and the 15 year old wood lover began a cabinet maker apprenticeship in a firm specializing in the restoration of antique furniture from the 16th, 17th and 18th century. Three years later, Mickael became a member of the revered French craftsmen guild “Les Compagnons du Devoir” which dates to the Middle Ages. He learned the old secrets of “ébénistes” and the traditional techniques for making furniture including marquetry, ornamental sculpture and gold leaf gilding.

In 2005, Mickael continued his journey abroad, and worked for a woodworking company as project manager in New York City where he trained and supervised work crews in commercial and residential remodeling and new construction projects.

Always striving for the finest quality, in 2008 Mickael created Atelier Fonteneau so as to combine two areas of personal passion – hand crafted elegant wood furniture and environmentally sustainable techniques and materials.